Pirates stand as last key hurdle for Kobs in league

Decisive tie: Kobs’ Ivan Kirabo (R) and Pirates’ Desire Ayera face off at Kings Park earlier in the Nile Special Premiership season. Kobs cannot afford anything less than a win when the two meet today at Legends. PHOTO BY E. CHICCO

KAMPALA. By the time the final whistle goes off for today’s Nile Special Rugby Premiership between Betway Kobs and Stanbic Pirates, the former will either have got even closer to a thirteenth league title or kissed the Holy Grail goodbye.
“It’s like a Cup final,” Kobs assistant coach Edmond Tumusiime told Daily Monitor. “ But it doesn’t mean the other two remaining games are not important, they are all equally significant.”
His scrumhalf Davis Kyewalabye has called it easily the “most important,” game of their season.
At 68 points, Kobs are two ahead of Hima Heathens with three ties left, leaving no room for slip-ups as any would hand the wheel back to Heathens.
On the other hand, defending champions Pirates have nothing to lose, they dropped out of the race last month, but would love to injure Kobs` title chase considering they are rivals and have lost twice to them in the last seven months with a Cup final inclusive.
Pirates coach Bobby Musinguzi is not thinking about derailing Kobs but rather his side`s performance. “It is a morale boasting game and one that keeps us believing, there is no joy in derailing anyone but joy when you prepare well and win a game according to plan,” he said.
When the two sides met last October in the Uganda Cup final, Pirates led 14-3 at some stage but eventually lost 21-14.

TODAY’S GAME
Kobs vs Pirates
5pm at Legends